Arch-support.



R. E. BELOHER.

ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJI, 1914v 1,1 31,900. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

IN VEN TOR.

UNITED srarus PATENT OFFIGE.

ROBERT E. BELCHEB, 0F CHIGAGQ ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO B. & B. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. BELGHER,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 11, 1914. Serial No. 817,989.

a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and :State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to arch supports and contemplates improved features of construction, arrangement and adjustability.

My invention is particularly concerned with arch supports in which metallic spring plates are superposed. In prior devices of this class the superposed spring plates are free to give and flex under the wearers I Patented Mar. 16,1915.

' they may be readily individually bent and weight but no provision is made to limit such flexure, the result being that the plates are bent beyond their elastic limit and will eventually flatten so that the arch support becomes inefi'ective for the purpose for which it was intended. It is also very desirable that the wearer himself may be able to adjust the arch supports,-that is, to make adjustment to increase or decrease the height of the arch. For example where a person with a broken arch decides to wear arch supports, such supports should at the beginning be low and comparatively fiat so as not to immediately raise the foot arches into normal position. Gradually, however, the height of the arch support should beincreased so as tobring the foot arch gradually to normal. adjustment could not be readily eflected by the wearer himself but special mechanical devices or machines were necessary. It is, however, very desirable that the wearer himself may be able to effect such adjustment order that he may obtain the greatest amount of comfort and good from the supports. I

One of the important objects of my invention is to provide spring plates which are free to flex under the wearers weight and movements but whose flexure and relative movement is limited in order that the In prior structures such adjusted, and Fig. 4 shows a modified arrangement for interlocking the plates. f

The arch support comprises the metallic top or arch plate 1, the lower metallic supplemental plate 2, and the leather cover 3 forming an insole. The top or arch plate 1 has one lateral edge 4 curved or curled upwardly to fit the inside curve of the foot instep, as is well understood. The insole .3 is preferably secured to this arch plate as by means of rivets 5 and 6, and the corresponding side 3 of the insole is extended and follows the upward curve 4 'of the arch plate as is well understood;

The supplemental plate 2 is riveted at one end to the corresponding end of the arch plate in order that such-plate 2 may swing about its pivot with relation to the arch plate. As shown, the rivet 7 pivots the front ends of the plates together and the arch plate so that the arch plate rests only at its ends on the supplemental plate. The

plates are stamped from metal which is elastic within certain limits and which can readily be bent by hand, as for example German silver. By 'virtue of the pivot connec tion 7 the supplemental plate 2 can be "swung into position at substantially-right elastic limit is never reached, the plates berangement that the plates can readily be bent by hand by the wearer himself in order to raise and lower the support arch asdesired.

angles with the arch plate (Fig. 3) to thus leave both plates free to bereadily individually bent to vary the degree of bow thereof and therefore to adjust for the height of the arch support. 1

Describing now the means for yieldinglyi locking the plates together after bending and adjustment thereof, the arch plate has extending downwardly therefrom one or more ins 8, 8, the supplemental plate -.;supplemental plate will act as a tie or chord pins reach has one orniore holes or openings 959" and 9", 9' ferthezpinsrespectively. Preferabl a the pins provided'with heads 10, '10. an

" theisupplemental plate;,;hastransYerse gui slots 11, .11 -.to the longitudinal holes (A j slots, and the entrance edges ofitheslots are well rounded in order that the guide slots will-readily recjeive' the pins when the supplexnental plate is swung toward. normal position after. adjustment of the plates. When ad ustingthe plates 'thesupplemental plate" should preferably- ,be unbowed suifi clentl'y in order thatwhen the plate isswung to plosed position the inner edges eof the guide slots will abut against the respective pins, under the heads thereof and in order thatthe plates will be locked against. pivotal displacement by the engagement of the inner ends ,or pockets f'j'ef the longitudinal-slots to with the pins, When the supplementalplate is brought tonormal position thepins will snap into the inner'ends 7 of the pocketsand accidental displacement of the plates will-be prevented, although the separation. thereof can be readily accomplished by slight pull on the'supplementalplate. In order that a better hold maybe obtained ,onthe supplemental'plate a hole 12 -i s provided in its end the setting in Fig. 2 the heel end of the arch platecan move relative to the supplemental plate until the outer ends g of the .slots 9 and 9, reach the pins, and thereafter the to prevent further longitudinal movement andflattening of the arch plate. 'It w1ll be noted that the slots 9 and 9 arelonger than the slots 9 and 9" This is for the. purpose of allowing for greater relative longitudinal movement of the plates if such 1s- "desired. If such greater movement is desi'red', the supplemental plate ,1 is swung farthen until the longer slots receive the pins. The longestslot is, however, not long enougli to allow flattening of the arch plate beyond its elastic limit so that after each depression or flattening of the arch plate, as during. walking of the wearer, the plate w ll return, the pins playing back-\and forth in the longitudinal slots of the supplemental plate and the supplemental plate preventing further flattening of the arch as'soon as the the outer ends of these 'I thus the arch plate to face for the ends of thearch plate and said supplemental plate'being also bowed but to In Fig. 4'pins 8, 8 are not headed and i have omitted entrance ways to the slots in thesupplemental plate. With this zurangemen't after the "plates" have been swung apart and adjusted the supplemental plate is swung back tonormal across the tops of the pins-.andthen under slight pressure. against the .center of the supplemental plate the end'of the plate will be drawn in f to bring the slots-.irliiregister withv the pins and. the pins will thenbeat the inner ends of the slots, and whenEthe support is .in use the pinsfwill trau'elforth in the slots in the same-' i mannieiifas in the arrange ment of Fig; .2.

rovide ill-which othSth mental plate jaregsp cooperate to respond 'te;-;:the weight and movements of the weareri; If undue weight or pressurejis brought on the arch plate during wearing, thesupplementalplate will act support is jand the suppleas atie'ijto prevent flattening of the arch plate beyondjits elasticlimit so thatthe arch plate. will notfbefpre'ssed out of adj ustment and.,willalways be returned to its normal position afterthe pressure has been released therefror'n/ The pivotal'connection'of the supplemental plate-with the arch plate allows swinging apart of the. plates in order that each maybe readily bent and adjusted, but such pivotalconnection keeps the plates otherwise locked together, and after adjustment of the platesthe pins and slots can be readily brought into interlocking engagement. There is therefore nothing requiring special skill in the adjustment of the support and such adjustment can be accomr'id. operate and plished by the wearerr himself1veryreadily and perhaps with greatersatisfaction than if performed-bysomeone else.

I do not desire to be .limitedfto the exact construction and arrangement shown as modifications could no doubt be made which would still come within the scopeof the invention.

I claim as follows: j

1. An arch support comp arch plate,

,a bowed metal and pivoted, together at theirtoe ends, the supplemental late being longer than orm ample bearing sura supplementalplate, bel'ow the arch plate and both plates being of. spring less extent than sa1d arch plate, and, a'pin.

extending from-one of said plates at the heel end thereof and having a longitudinal slot in the other plate for 'receiving'said pin,', said slot and pin interlocking the heel ends of the plates but allowing relative longitudinal movement of the plates;

2. An arch support comprising a bowed arch and a bowed sup lemental plate below said arch plate, plates pivoted at one end to enable such plates to be swung to an angle with each other, both plates being of spring material and the sup plementalplate being bowed to less extent than the arch plate, and means afi'ording detachable connection with the other ends of less degree than the arch plate, the toe ends of said plates being pivoted together to allow-swing of-said plates to an angle with each other in order that .the plates may be individually readily bent to adjust their curvature, and latch mechanism for detachably securing the heel ends of the plates together and arranged to allow limited relative longitudinal movement of said plates at such latch connection during walking.

4:. An arch supportcomprising a bowed arch plate bowed longitudinally and curved transversely to fit the arch of the foot, a supplemental plate below the arch plate longer than the arch plate to extend beyond the ends of the archplate and to form a continuation thereof, both plates being of spring metal and the supplemental plate being also bowed but to less degree than the arch plate, the plates being pivoted at one end to allow swing thereof to an angle with each other in order that each plate may be readily bent to adjust the longitudinal curvature thereof, and latching means for detachably securing the other ends of the plates together 1n parallel position, said latching means being arranged to allow limited relative longitudinal movement.

5. An arch support comprising an arch plate arched longitudinally and curved transversely to fit the instep of the foot, a supplemental plate below the arch plate longer than the arch plate and 'also arched upwardly but to less degree than the arch plate, both plates being of spring metal and connected at one end by a pivot pin tending to hold the plates vertically together, said pivot pin allowing the plates to be swung away from each other in order that either platejmay be readily bent 'to adjust its arch curvature, and a pin extending from the other end of one of the plates, and the corresponding end of the other plate having an opening for receiving the pin to lock the plates together.

6. An arch support comprising an arch platearched longitudinally and curved transversely to fit the instep of the foot, a supplemental plate below the arch plate also arched upwardly but to less extent ,than the arch plate, both plates being of spring metal and connected atone endbya pivot pin tending to hold the plates vertically together. said pivotpin allowing the plates to be swung away from each other in order that either plate may be readily bent to adjust its arch curvature, and a pin ex tending from the other end of one of the plates, and the corresponding end of the other plate having an opening for receiving the pin to lock the plates together, said opening being elongated to allow limited relative longitudinal movement between the plates whereby one plate will primarily support the entire weight.

7. An arch support comprising a bowed arch plate arranged to fit the instep of the feet, a supplemental plate below the arch plate also bowed but to less extent than the arch plate, said plates being both of spring metal and pivoted at one end in order that they maybe swung away from each other to allow ready bending of either plate to adjust the arch curvature thereof. and a pin extending from the other end of one of the plates. the other plate having a transversely extending notch or slot for receiving the pin when the plates are brought together into parallelism, and the inner end of said trans verse slot being enlarged longitudinally in order that there may be limited relative longitudinal movement between the plates under pressure on the support.

8. An arch support comprising an arch plate arched longitudinally and curved transversely in accordance with the instep of the foot, a supplemental plate below the arch plate longer than the arch plate, both plates being of spring metal and the supplemental plate being arched upwardly but to less degree than the arch plate, said plates being pivoted together at their toe ends in order that the plates may be swung apart to allow ready bending thereof to adjust their arch curvature, and a pin extending down wardly from the heel end of the arch plate and having a head, the heel end of the supplemental plate having a transversely extending slot for receiving the pin when the plates are swung to parallel normal position, the inner end of said slot being longitudinally enlarged in order to allow limited relative longitudinal movement between the plates under pressure on the support during wear.

9. An arch support comprising an arch plate arched longitudinally to fit the instep of the foot. a supplemental plat-e below the.

arch plate, both plates being of spring metal and the supplemental plate being arched upwardly but to less degree than the arch plate, said plates being pivoted together at their toe ends in order that they may be swung apart to allow ready bending of either plate to adjust the curvature thereof, and a. pin extending from the heel end of one of the plates, the other plate having at its heel end a slot extending transversely from one edge thereof for receiving the pin when the plates are swung into parallel normal position, said slot being of greater width than the pin in order to allow limited relative longitudinal movement between the plates.

10. An arch support comprising an arch plate arched longitudinally to fit the instep of the foot, asupplemental plate below the arch plate, both plates being of spring metal and the supplemental plate beinglarched upwardly but to less degree than the arch plate, said plates being pivoted together at their toe ends in order that they may be swung apart to allow ready bending of either plate to adjust the curvature thereof,

and a pin extending frofii the'heel end of one of the plates, the other plate having at its heel end a slot extending transversely from one edge thereof for receiving the pin when the plates are swung into parallel normal position, said slot having a plurality of enlargements extending longitudinally of the plate for receiving the pin in order to allow limited relative longitudinal move ment of the plates.

11. An arch support comprising a bowed arch plate and a supplemental plate below the arch plate also bowed but to less degree than the arch plate, and means locking said plates vertically together but arranged to permit limited relative longitudinal bodily movement of the plates whereby said arch plate may flatten independently of'the supplemental plate to primarily support the en- 12. An arch support comprising bowed upper and lower arch plates, the lower arch plate being bowed to less degree than the upper plate, and pin and slot connection between the plates arranged to allow limited flattening of the upper arch plate independently of the lower plate whereby said upper arch plate will primarily support the entire weight.

13. An arch support comprising an upper arch plate and a lower arch plate, both plates being-bowed but said-lower arch plate being bowed to less extent than the upper arch plate but being longer thanthe upper arch plate to form a seat for the ends thereof,and a longitudinally yieldable connection between the plates for allowing limited flattening of theupper arch plate before the lower arch comes into play.

, In'witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this9th day of February, A. D. 1914:.

ROBERT E. BELCHER.

WVitnesses CHARLES J. SCHMIDT,

EDMUND (1. INGERSOLL. 

